Asm. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn

Establishes the teachers' fossil fuel divestment act; requires the New York state teachers' retirement system to divest the retirement system of any stocks, securities, equities, assets, or other obligations of corporations or companies included on an exclusion list of coal producers and oil and gas producers.

Directs the commissioner of education to conduct an audit regarding instruction in literacy instruction at institutions of higher education that offers a graduate or undergraduate degree or certification program in education or educational administration located within the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New York's commissioner of social services to study SNAP/EBT benefit fraud prevalence and related system barriers. Specifically, the commissioner must complete a 240-day study evaluating stolen benefits, the feasibility of EMV chip card technology for EBT systems, and other relevant factors. After the initial study, the commissioner must submit an annual report to state leaders detailing fraud threats, protections, and updates to SNAP transfer regulations. The study aims to inform future policy decisions without creating new laws or altering current SNAP benefits. This is a procedural study bill, not a policy change, with no voting record yet as it was recently referred to the Social Services committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases fines for violating public health laws. It raises penalties for nursing home and hospital operators from $3,000 to $5,000 per violation, with repeat offenses or violations causing harm now carrying up to $10,000 or $20,000 fines. Excess fines collected beyond $2,000 per violation go to a patient safety center, while nursing home fines over $10,000 fund quality improvement programs for nursing homes. The changes apply directly to healthcare facilities and their operators under New York's public health and social services laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) small business mentoring program to include businesses performing construction or related services. It defines eligible small businesses as independently owned firms with under $10 million in annual revenue, meeting specific criteria aligned with federal small business standards. The program provides participating businesses with five years of mentorship from MTA-selected construction firms to help them compete for MTA contracts (up to $1.5 million for initial phase, $5 million for later phase), including assistance with bonding. The MTA will designate qualifying contracts exclusively for program participants and assign mentors to support these businesses through the bidding and contract management process.

Ensures that boards of elections provide adequate notice to each voter before and after a board cancels the voter's registration or places such voter in inactive status.

Directs the department of civil service to conduct a study on competitive examinations for public employment held by the state department of civil service and by municipal commissions to determine whether the contents of such examinations have a discriminatory effect on minority examinees; requires a report on such findings to be delivered to the governor and legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes time limits for civil lawsuits related to child sexual abuse, allowing survivors to file claims at any time regardless of when the abuse occurred. It specifically covers civil cases where the victim was under 18 years old for sexual offenses under New York Penal Law (including rape, incest, and child sexual performance), and revives previously time-barred cases. The law clarifies that civil claims do not require a prior criminal conviction or prosecution. It directly affects survivors seeking compensation for injuries stemming from childhood sexual abuse by removing the previous deadline for filing such lawsuits.

Relates to women's health in correctional facilities; establishes a women's health education program; requires HIV and STD testing to be offered to incarcerated individuals; provides pregnant incarcerated individuals with access to prenatal vitamins as well as a specialized diet tailored to pregnancy needs; requires a study and report on women's health in prison.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new health coverage option under New York's 1332 state innovation program, allowing the state to create a health plan for specific uninsured New Yorkers who don't qualify for Medicaid or ACA marketplace plans. It directly affects residents under 65 with household incomes between 133% and 250% of the federal poverty line, including some noncitizens ineligible for Medicaid due to immigration status. Key provisions include requiring coverage for essential health services (like cancer care access at Medicaid rates, dental, vision, and chronic illness support), automatic enrollment for children born to eligible parents, and continued coverage during pregnancy for one year postpartum. The program requires federal approval under the ACA's Section 1332 waiver process and operates alongside existing Medicaid and marketplace plans.